The Michoacán deer mouse occurs in lowlands and mountains along Mexico's Pacific side. It has been recorded mainly in forest, as well as in scrub, grassland, and riparian sites.
Its back ranges from cinnamon to dark chestnut, while the underside is white to cream. Its long, scaly tail is longer than its body.
In a study in Colima, about one-third of captures came from traps set above ground. More mice were found where the canopy was taller and nearby trees and rocks were more abundant.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.